In 1993, a full cleanup and removal of volcanic ash deposits began and the former U.S. base re-emerged as Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ).[9] The creation of CSEZ has helped to offset the loss of income and jobs previously generated by the presence of the U.S. base in the city. Today, Angeles and Clark form the hub for business, industry, aviation, and tourism in the Philippines as well as a leisure, fitness, entertainment and gaming center of Central Luzon.[10]

Angeles City ranked 15th in a survey by MoneySense Magazine as one of the "Best Places to Live in the Philippines" in its March–April 2008 issue.[11] In August 2007, the greater metropolitan area centered on Angeles, called Metro Angeles, which includes the cities of San Fernando and Mabalacat and the towns of Porac and Bacolor, was also mentioned as one of the 12 Metropolitan Areas in the Philippines by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and named as one of the six region-based metropolitan areas with relatively high GDP rates, with Metro Angeles garnering 8.5%.[12]

The name Ángeles is derived from the SpanishEl Pueblo de los Ángeles ("The Town of the Angels") in honour of its patron saints, Los Santos Ángeles Custodios (Holy Guardian Angels), and the name of its founder, Don Ángel Pantaleón de Miranda.

In 1796, the gobernadorcillo or town head of San Fernando, Don Ángel Pantaleón de Miranda, and his wife, Doña Rosalía de Jesús, along with some followers, staked out a new settlement, which they named Culiát because of the abundance of vines of that name in the area. The new settlers cleared the woodland and cultivated the area for rice and sugar farming. Don Ángel built his first house with light materials at the northwest corner of the intersection of Sapang Balen and the road going towards the town of Porac. It was later donated to the Catholic Church and became a cemetery called "Campo Santong Matua" (today the site of Nepomuceno Coliseum).[13]

On May 12, 1812, the new settlers tried to make Culiat a self-governing town but the friars resisted the move, led by Fray José Pometa. Ten years later, on February 11, 1822, Don Ángel filed a petition for the township of Culiat to secede from San Fernando, but it was denied. This was followed by another petition within the same year, jointly signed by Don Ángel, his son-in-law, Dr. Mariano Henson, and the latter's father, Severino Henson. He donated 35 hectares for the construction of the first Catholic church, a convent and a primary school while Doña Agustina Henson de Nepomuceno, the niece of who would become the first gobernadorcillo of Angeles in 1830, Don Ciriaco de Miranda, gave land for the new public market. Don Ángel paid the complete amount required by law just for the secession of Culiat from San Fernando. There were only 160 taxpayers then but the law required that it should have at least 500 taxpayers.[14]

Located some 10 miles (16 km) north of Pampanga's capital, Culiat became a barrio of San Fernando for 33 years and on December 8, 1829, became a separate municipality. The newly-autonomous town was renamed "El Pueblo de los Ángeles" in honor of its patron saints, the Holy Angels, and the name of its founder, Don Ángel, coinciding with the rise of new barrios such as Santo Cristo (as the población or town proper), Cutcut, Pampang and Pulong Anunas. The progressive barrios developed some new industries like a sugar mill and a wine distillery. The transition of Angeles from a jungle clearing to a barrio, to a town and finally to a city took 168 years and in all that time, it survived locusts' infestations, wars, epidemics, volcanic eruptions and typhoons to become one of the fast rising towns in the country. When it received its first official municipal charter, the town contained some 661 people, 151 houses and an area of 38.65 km².[8][15]

On August 10, 1899, U.S. forces began the attack on Angeles confident in capturing it in a few days. However, the Filipino Army defending the town refused to give in so easily and fiercely fought back and for three months, they battled the Americans in and around the town. It was only after the battle on November 5, 1899 that the town finally fell into American hands. The Battle of Angeles was considered to be the longest in the history of the Filipino-American War in Pampanga. This led to the establishment of an American camp in Barrio Talimundoc (in what is now Lourdes Sur), located next to the railroad station, in order to establish control over the central plains of Luzon. In January 1900, General Frederick D. Grant organized the first U.S. Civil Government in Angeles by appointing an alcalde or municipal mayor, beginning American rule over Angeles.[17]

In 1902, the United States Army studied relocating their post from Barrio Talimundoc to a fertile plain in Barrio Sapang Bato, which supposedly had better grass for their horses. A year after that, U.S. PresidentTheodore Roosevelt signed an executive order on September 1, establishing 7,700 acres (31 km2) of land in Sapang Bato as Fort Stotsenburg (which later would expand to 156,204 acres (632.14 km2) in 1908 to become Clark Air Base). It was centered on what was Clark Air Base's parade ground in modern years.[18]

The Americans quickly commandeered Holy Rosary Parish Church and converted it into an army hospital, with the choir loft served as a dental clinic. The convento, which now houses Holy Family Academy, was the barracks for medical officers and enlisted men. The sacristy was the only portion where Angeleños could hear Mass. When the Americans finally vacated the church in 1904 and relocated to Fort Stotsenburg, parish priest Rev. Vicente Lapus listed a total of US$638 for portions of the church destroyed, looted church items and treasures, and arrears on rentals.

Hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan attacked the Philippines, targeting the American military presence, as well as the Philippine Army, and taking over the civilian government. During the Japanese occupation in the country, 57,000 Filipino and American prisoners of war passed the town of Angeles. They were forced to join the Death March going to Camp O'Donnell in Capas, Tarlac. Angeleños showed their sympathy by handing them foods, milk, boiled eggs, rice cakes, cigarettes, and water. Angeleños followed them up to the train station in Dau railway station in Mabalacat to give moral and spiritual support, and even helped the escapees.

War historians considered the bombing of Fort Stotsenburg on December 8, 1941 at 12:30 p.m. as one of the most destructive air raids in World War II because almost all the American war planes were wrecked on the ground. In thirty minutes, the air might of America in the Far East was completely destroyed.

On the early morning of the New Year's Day of 1942, the first Japanese troops entered Angeles occupying it up to January 1945. During the Japanese invasion, another type of local government was set up on January 22, 1942. During the Japanese occupation, Clark Air Base then became a major centre for staging Japanese air operations. Japanese aircraft flying out of Clark participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, considered to be the largest naval battle of the Second World War.[19][20]

Clark Air Base was recaptured by the Americans in January 1945, after three months of fierce fighting in the Philippines. After three years of atrocities committed by Japanese forces, the town and the rest of the Philippines were finally liberated by the combined United States and Philippine Commonwealth troops in 1945. The built of the general headquarters of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and Philippine Constabulary was stationed in Angeles from 1945 to 1946 during and aftermath of the Second World War.

After World War II, the Philippines gained independence from the United States on July 4, 1946 but then would be tied to a neo-colonial relationship. The "Treaty of General Relations" signed on independence day itself signified the Americans' withdrawal and surrender of possession, control and sovereignty over the Philippines, except the use of their bases. It was followed by the Philippine-American Military Bases Agreement on March 14, 1947, allowing the U.S. to maintain territorial integrity and sovereignty over Clark Air Base and Subic Naval Base for the next 44 years. Clark occupied 63,103 hectares and served as the tactical operational U.S. air force installation in the entire Southeast Asian region that had the capacity to accommodate the U.S. military transport planes, which served the entire Western Pacific.

Through the years, although Fort Stotsenburg continued to expand to become what is now known as Clark Air Base, Angeles, despite its proximity to the American camp, did not progress fast and remained fairly small until the end of World War II. It was finally inaugurated on January 1, 1964 as a chartered city under Republic Act No. 3700 and then it entered a period of tremendous growth that has resulted in its present position as the "Premier City in Central Luzon." It was then Mayor Rafael del Rosario's brainchild that Angeles became a city. He gained the distinction of being the last municipal mayor of Angeles. He was assisted in the preparation of the City Chapter by Attorney Enrique Tayag, a prominent resident of the town. Congresswoman Juanita L. Nepomuceno of the first district of Pampanga sponsored the bill in Congress, which was approved by then President Diosdado Macapagal, the ninth Philippine president and a native of the province of Pampanga.[21]

On June 15, 1991, Angeles was affected by the cataclysmic eruption of nearby Mount Pinatubo, with up to 60,000 people being evacuated from the city. It was the second-largest volcanic eruption of the twentieth century and, by far, the largest eruption to affect a densely populated area. The province of Pampanga, Clark specifically, were badly hit and the agricultural lands, as well as other businesses, were covered by tons of lahar.[22] There were no casualties reported inside Clark two days from the initial eruption because the 18,000 personnel and their families were transported to Guam and the Subic Naval Base in Zambales.

The eruption of Mount Pinatubo forced the leadership of the U.S. to prematurely abandon its military installation at Clark Air Base. This is in addition to the voting by the Philippine Senate in 1991 to no longer extend the Laurel–Langley Agreement, which allows the presence of U.S. military forces on Philippine territory, thus ending the long chapter of Filipino-American relations in the history of Angeles. The U.S. military never returned to Clark, turning over the damaged base to the Philippine government on November 26, 1991[23][24][25]

In 1993, cleanup and removal of volcanic ash deposits began. The former base re-emerged as Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ) approved by then President Fidel V. Ramos on April 3 of the same year. The airfield infrastructure was improved and destined to be the premiere airport in the country in the next five years and one of the most modern in Asia.[9] The creation of CSEZ has helped to offset the loss of income and jobs previously generated by the presence of the U.S. base. Today, Angeles and Clark together form the hub for business, industry, aviation and tourism, as well as the entertainment and gaming center of Central Luzon.[10] According to the Center for Kapampangan Studies, the dish sisig originated in this city and has been on the menu since the 1730s. Pampanga is well known as the culinary center of the Philippines.[26][27][28]

Under the Köppen climate classification system, Angeles City features a tropical savanna climate that borders on a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen climate classification Aw/Am). Angeles City experiences two distinct seasons: a dry season from November through April, with a wet season from May through October. From 1953 to 1991, the mean daily low was 73.6 °F and the mean daily high was 88.1 °F, with June being warmest and January and February being the coolest. The average annual rainfall is 78.39 inches. Typhoons tend to approach from the east during the summer and fall. Many damaging storms struck the city, including Typhoon Irma on November 28, 1974 (generally considered to be the strongest one); Typhoon Rita on October 27, 1978; Typhoon Irma (the name was reused) on November 24, 1981; Typhoon Ruby on October 25, 1988; and Typhoon Yunya on June 15, 1991 which coincided with the Mount Pinatubo blast. In July 1972, Central Luzon experienced a month of nearly continuous rain, resulting in 96 inches falling on the plain around Angeles.

Climate data for Clark Air Base, Angeles City, Republic of the Philippines

Anunas is the barangay that houses the city's Korean Town, a chain of Korean establishments along the Fil-Am Friendship Highway. Anunas is also identified as one of the growth centers of the city, focusing on light industries such as woodcarving and rattan craft.

Balibago is the main entertainment district of Angeles. It contains Casino Filipino Angeles and the famous Fields Avenue tourist belt. Entertainment-related establishments such as The Dollhouse Group, Kokomo's Hotel Group also spill to Malabañas, which is situated next to Balibago. Hotels, such as Penthouse Hotel, Lewis Grand Hotel, and Angeles Beach Club (ABC) Hotel are also abundant along Don Juico Avenue, which stretches from Balibago to Malabañas. The city's biggest mall, SM City Clark, is also situated in Barangay Malabañas.

These two barangays form the main public market district of the city. The Pampang Wet Market, San Nicolas Market, Friday Flea Market (locally referred to as Apu), Jumbo Jenra Angeles, Puregold Angeles, and the Angeles Slaughterhouse are found here. The Pampang Wet Market is the largest and most frequented wet market in the province of Pampanga. It also attracts people from nearby towns. Ospital Ning Angeles (ONA),City College of Angeles and Angeles City National High School is located in Pampang.

Pulung Maragul is the barangay that houses the city's government complex, which includes the Angeles City Hall, the Angeles City Hall of Justice, and other government buildings. It is also the location of the Angeles Exit of the North Luzon Expressway and Marquee Mall, Ayala's first mall in Central Luzon. Marquee Place and Marquee Residences will rise in Pulung Maragul as well, next to the mall.

Santo Rosario is the poblacion. It is home to most of Angeles' heritage and historical structures such as the Holy Rosary Church, Pamintuan Mansion which is privately owned by Maverick Pamintuan, Bale Herencia, and Museo ning Angeles (former City Hall building). Holy Angel University, Central Luzon's largest university in terms of population,[31] is also located here. Plans of declaring the barangay or parts of it a heritage zone are ongoing.[32]

Sapangbato is the largest barangay in Angeles City in terms of territory, with a total land area of 187,694 sq. meters and a population of 9,920. Located northwest of Angeles near Clark Freeport Zone, it is identified as the barangay in Angeles with the highest elevation of 750 feet above sea level. It is home to Fort Stotsenburg, also known as the Parade Grounds of Clark. apl.de.ap, member of the hip hop group The Black Eyed Peas, hails from Sapangbato. The famous Puning Hot Springs of Brgy. Inararo in Porac are accessed through Sitio Target in Sapangbato.

Despite the major challenges that were faced by the city, such as the removal of the U.S. Clark Air Base and the Mount Pinatubo's eruption in 1991, all these have been surpassed by Angeleños. The improvement in the economy of Angeles was said to have been triggered by the transformation of the U.S. base into Clark Freeport Zone, where the Clark International Airport is located.[35] Angeles City is home to an emerging technology industry. Its economy is based also on tourism and gambling. Fields Avenue forms the hub of the night life industry focused in Angeles.[36] With close proximity to an international airport in Clark Freeport, Angeles is visited by foreigners all year round.[37]

In the 2000s, the local government of Angeles rebranded the Fields Avenue tourist belt as a high-end destination with fine restaurants and luxury hotels and casinos[38][39] The finishing of roads, such as the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, has improved trade and transport.[10][40][41] The project connects the industrial, transport and business hubs of Pampanga, Zambales, Bataan and Tarlac. The project is crucial to bolstering growth in Central Luzon.[42][43]

The city has cottage industries producing rattanfurniture, coconuts, and charcoalbriquettes. It also has many thriving export businesses in handicrafts, metal crafts, toys, houseware and garments.[44] Apart from the Clark Freeport Zone, industrial areas include the Angeles Livelihood Village and the Angeles City Industrial Estate.[45]

Call centers present are e-Telecare,[46] CyberCity, Sutherland and IRMC, plus other American IT industries are major employers as well.[47] The establishment of a number of shopping malls also fueled the city's economy, including SM City Clark, Robinson's Place Angeles, Jenra Grand Mall, Nepo Mall, Saver's Mall and the Marquee Mall, next to the City Hall.[48][49]

There is also a proposal of constructing a new Formula One quality circuit in a 2,000-hectare lot fronting the North Luzon Expressway between Angeles City and Subic Bay, from which the country may soon play host to prestigious international car-racing events and possibly bid to become one of the venues of the world-renowned Formula One series.[50]

Due to the presence of the U.S. base and consequent Freeport Zone,[51] Angeles became home to a large colony of expatriates as many Americans chose to permanently settle in the area, particularly in the Balibago district. During the American colonial period (1898–1946), more than 800,000 Americans were born in the Philippines and a large concentration of Filipino mestizos or Filipinos with American ancestry were located in this city.[52][53][54] It is said that aside from the high Amerasian population in the city, prostitution was another consequence of the U.S. bases' presence in the country. Since the early days of Clark Air Base, Fields Avenue in Balibago district is an area frequently visited by the U.S. servicemen, has been known as a center for prostitution and sex tourism.[55][56][57][58][59] A BBC article characterized it as "the centre of the Philippines sex industry" and dubbed it "Sin City".[60] Elsewhere and in later years, Philippine travel publications have described it as the "Entertainment Capital of Central Luzon" and "Entertainment City"[61][62]

Lea Salonga is a Tony Award–winning singer and actress who is best known for her portrayal of Kim in the musical, Miss Saigon. She spent the first six years of her childhood in Angeles City before moving to Manila.[63][64]

apl.de.ap, born Allan Pineda Lindo in Sapang Bato, Angeles City, is a member of the Grammy award–winning group, The Black Eyed Peas. He is famous throughout the Filipino community after the release of his life story of his homeland the Philippines in a song called "The Apl Song" found on the Peas' 2003 album, Elephunk.[65][66]

Servillano Aquino was a Filipino general during the Philippine Revolution against Spain (1896–1898) and the Philippine–American War (1898–1902). He served as a delegate to the Malolos Congress and was the grandfather of Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr.

Efren "Bata" Reyes, referred to as "The Magician", is a very popular Filipino pool player. He is a former world champion and considered to be one of history's greatest practitioners of pool.[68]

Hilda Koronel, born Susan Reid, is an award-winning actress who starred in around 45 films, many of which are critically acclaimed, since 1970. Her father is an American who was a serviceman in Clark Air Base.[69][70]

Pepe Smith is a Filipino singer-songwriter, drummer, and guitarist and is considered an icon of original Filipino rock music or "Pinoy rock".

Jaclyn Jose, born Mary Jane Sta. Ana Guck, and known for her memorable roles in the films Salome and Santa Juana, is a versatile cinematic and television actress having captured best actress accolades in both local and foreign scenes.[71]

Cris Judd is an American actor and popular choreographer to Michael Jackson and Usher, but he is best known for having been married to American actress/singer Jennifer Lopez. He spent his childhood years in Clark Air Base.[72][73][74]

Arwind Santos is a local basketball player, playing for Far Eastern University in the UAAP and the Magnolia Ice Cream Spinners in the Philippine Basketball League. He is now a San Miguel Beermen team player in the PBA. He was selected PBL's Most Valuable Player (2004), two-time UAAP's Most Valuable Player (2004–2005) and one-time UAAP's Most Valuable Player (2005).[75][76]

Calvin Abueva is a local basketball player, playing for San Sebastian College in the NCAA and the NLEX Roadwarriors in the Philippine Basketball D-League. He is now an Alaska Aces star player in the PBA. He was selected NCAA's Most Valuable Player (Season 87)and PBA Rookie of the year 2013.[76][77]

Donita Rose born Donita Rose Cavett is a famous local television host and a former MTV VJ in Asia. Although born in Utah, U.S., she moved to Angeles City, where her American father was stationed at the U.S. base, when she was five years old.[78][79]

Rodolfo Luat is one of the highest-ranking pool players of the Philippines. Popularly known as "Boy Samson" since the 1970s because of his powerful break, he holds many Asian individual and team titles.[80][81]

Peter Valdes is an American-based software entrepreneur who was awarded one of the "10 Most Inspiring Technopreneurs in the Philippines in 2006". He was a co-founder of the globally successful Tivoli Software (an IBM Company).[82][83][84]

Kristine Johnson is a co-anchor at WCBS-TV, making her the first Filipino-American to serve as the face of a major network newscast in New York and the entire U.S. East Coast. She was previously an anchor of Early Today and Weekend Today. She was born in Clark Air Base and is currently residing in New Jersey with her husband and two children.[85][86]

Victonara Galang is a Filipino volleyball athlete. She is currently an Open Hitter and the team captain of the De La Salle University Lady Spikers.

^ abNavales, Reynaldo G. (2007-06-27). "Clark airport to post millionth int'l passenger". Sun.Star Network Online. Sun.Star Publishing. Archived from the original on 2007-06-29. Retrieved 2007-11-24."Mr. Lucio Tan is very excited about the development of Clark as an international airport. Clark will become the premiere airport in the country in the next five years," PAL president Jaime Bautista said.

^"Angeles City". First Filipino Online Travel Access. Kalakbayan Travel Systems, Inc. 2004-12-05. Archived from the original on 2004-12-04. Retrieved 2007-05-19. The city, and the rest of the Pampanga region, is known as the Culinary Center of the Philippines.

^"'Balikbayan' Donita Rose dines in Pampanga". The Manila Times: Life & Times. The Manila Times. 2007-02-28. Archived from the original on 2007-10-28. Retrieved 2007-11-24. ... today Donita Rose visits her hometown Pampanga, the "Culinary Center of the Philippines," on Balikbayan, the program hosted by Drew Arellano on QTV Channel 11.

^Summary of day data for National Weather Service (U.S.) and Department of Defense (U.S. and foreign) sites, National Climatic Data Center, Asheville NC, 1991.

^"Pampanga Travel Information". Asia Travel. AT Reservation Network Pte. Archived from the original on 2000-05-24. Retrieved 2007-11-24. Pampanga is populated by resourceful hardy folk, who are justifiably proud of their famous Kapampangan cuisine, regarded by many as the best regional food in the Philippines.

^Pakingan, Mv (2007-09-19). "Formula -1 type track in Angeles City proposed". Yehey!. Yehey! Corporation. Archived from the original on 2007-11-24. Retrieved 2007-11-24. Rainier Buchman, managing director of Hermann Tilke Architectural and Engineering Limited, met with San Miguel Corp. president Ramon Ang and Motorsports Director Boy Ochoa to look into a 2,000-hectare lot fronting the North Luzon Expressway between Angeles City and Subic, this according to Eddie Marcelo.

^Beech, Hannah (2001-04-16). "The Forgotten Angels". Time. Time Inc. Archived from the original on 2007-01-23. Retrieved 2007-08-18. Some ... live on the streets, surviving on handouts and sniffs of mind-numbing glue. ... [W]hen Clark closed in 1991, everything changed. By the mid-'90s, the town began marketing its nubile wares on the Web... by 1999, the visiting population of Angeles had shifted from young American G.I.s to boozy retirees. The population of unwanted mixed-blood children continued to grow.

^Juvida, Sol F. (1997-10-12). "Philippines-Children: Scourge of Child Prostitution". Inter Press Service. IPS-Inter Press Service. Archived from the original on 2003-05-04. Retrieved 2007-05-15. The country's top five spots for child prostitution all have more than their fair share of foreign visitors: Metro Manila, Angeles City, Puerto Galera in Mindoro province, Davao and Cebu.

^Cullen, Fr. Shay (2005-05-03). "Sex Tourism Is Big Money for Pimps and Politicians". imc-qc (Philippines). independent media center. Archived from the original on 30 April 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-15. Angeles City, two hours north of Metro Manila, is the home of the most organized sex industry in the Philippines.

^Pfitzner, Dr The Hon. Bernice (1996-08-14). "Inquiry into Prostitution, Final Report". Ninth Report of the Social Development Committee of the Parliament of South Australia. President of the Legislative Council and the Speaker of the House of Assembly. pp. 38–39. Retrieved 2007-05-15. When the Manila local government attempted to close down the sex industry in central Manila, many of the businesses moved to Angeles. (Lauber, 1995, p 2)

^"Country Report: Philippines". The Protection Project. The Protection Project, The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University, Washington, D.C. 2005-09-27. Archived from the original on October 10, 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-15. Fields Avenue in Angeles, a seedy city north of Manila, is the center of the sex industry in the Philippines ... The city grew up around the huge U.S. Clark Air Base, and although the base closed in 1992, prostitution is still the only industry in town.CS1 maint: Unfit url (link)

^Veneracion, Connie (April 21, 2006). "Fontana Resort". houseonahill.net. Archived from the original on 2010-12-25. Angeles City is popularly known as the "entertainment capital" of Central Luzon

^"Pampanga Travel Tips and Information". flyphilippines.info. Today, Angeles City known as the "entertainment city" of Central Luzon lies in a threshold of change after being severely affected by the Base pull out brought about the great eruption of Mt. Pinatubo 1991.